Heretofore many proposals have been suggested for cold forming spline teeth on a tool giving particular attention to the configuration of the rack teeth which form the tooth configuration on the part that is being cold formed. One example of such a proposal is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,115,052 issued Dec. 24, 1963 to McCardell. In this arrangement, two opposed racks are aligned on either side of a part that is supported by means which permit it to rotate freely on a fixed axis as the racks are driven thereacross. Axially spaced teeth are formed transversely of the rack and are of a progressive depth so that as the racks are passed across the part, a plurality of teeth are formed along the length of the rolled part at circumferentially spaced points there around.
No metal is removed during the cold forming operation and the teeth that are formed on the rolled part are uncrowned.
In some applications, however, it is desirable to form teeth on the part that is being worked in a way that the teeth are crowned.
One arrangement for forming a plurality of teeth on a cold formed shaft is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,208,773 issued June 24, 1980 to Killop. The '773 patent covers a single or split pair of racks that are located on either side of the tool holder at an angular relationship to the centerline of the part that will be formed thereby. Such an arrangement produces a single or double tapered spline which is not a true crown along the length of the spline tooth.